NICOLAS LABORIE Lilith Spells – Goddess

Born in Paris, France, Nicolas Laborie is an experienced photographer and filmmaker based in London. His photographic and film work lead him to exhibit in various galleries Including the Royal Academy of Art, Victoria and Albert Museum, DaVincis gallery, Great Expectation gallery, Amnesty International, Together gallery and work with leading magazines and companies worldwide.

ARTIST STATEMENT

LILLITH`S SPELLS by photographer Nicolas Laborie is a Wet Plate Collodion photography series inspired by the legend of Lilith : The first woman on earth. A Sumerian/Babylonian and Hebrew goddess, Adam’s twin sister and his first wife. Like Adam, Lilith was created from dust and therefore equal in her eyes; but their creator the Lord of Light wanted her to be Adam’s submissive companion. Lilith always believed she was in full control of her own sexuality and mind. In protest she fled the Garden of Eden full of anger and decided to cast spells on men. Some traditions see her as the snake that later on tempted Eve with the cursed apple. The myth represents her as a temptress creature standing for her equality that becameher obsession and she does resurface in the Dead Sea Scrolls found at Qumran Cave. Her obsession and birth ritual, both had a deep connection with my photographic practice: Wet plate collodion. Invented by Frederick Scott Archer in 1851, the Wet plate method is a process using panes of glass, coated with a highly toxic chemical solution, as the negative. Wet plate collodion is a demanding, expensive and lengthy unique historic process, which can also produce a positive image by using tin or aluminum instead of glass. Like Lilith’s spells, each wet plate was born from highly toxic chemicals; each portrait leaves a trace of their own myth, pain, obsession and desires. Each plate is varnished with Lavender oil, one of the wild flowers also found in the Garden of Eden.

www.nicolaslaborie.com/

Your Support

Our Newsletter

Stay updated about freedom

What do you think?

What is freedom?

How do you preserve it?

How do you celebrate it?

Passion For Freedom is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (1171186).